Taekwondo White Belt Techniques

Knowledge of the following stances, hand techniques, and foot techniques are required for a white belt in Taekwondo. The following written instructions explain how to perform the various moves.

Stances:

Parallel Stance:  The feet are parallel to each other, and the feet should be shoulder width apart based upon the outside edges of the feet. In our system, the feet should be approximately one foot length apart, as measured from the center of the foot to the center of the other foot. The knees should be slightly bent with the toes pointing forward. The weight is evenly distributed on both feet.


Straddle Stance:  This stance is also known as the riding stance. This stance is quite stable when moving laterally. The feet are parallel to each other and 1 1/2 shoulder widths apart. Both knees are bent and directly over the ankles. In some systems, the knees are bent deeply enough as if to be sitting on an imaginary chair. Hence, why this stance is also referred to as the sitting stance. The weight is evenly distributed on both feet.


Walking Stance:  This stance is also known as the forward stance. This is a powerful stance for when your opponent is in front of you. The feet are at a diagonal to each other spaced 1 1/2 shoulder widths wide and 1 1/2 shoulder widths deep. The front knee is bent and directly over the ankle. The rear leg is straight. Both feet should be pointing forward. The weight is evenly distributed on both feet. The front foot determines the stance.


L-Stance:  This stance is also known as the back stance. This stance is effective in allowing for the front foot to quickly perform kicks. The feet are perpendicular to each other and 1 1/2 shoulder widths deep and one foot wide. The front foot faces forward. Both knees are bent and directly over the ankles. The rear foot determines the stance.


Spinning Turn:  To execute a spinning turn from a left walking stance facing north, lift your left leg bringing your left foot towards your right knee while pivoting on your right foot counterclockwise. Once you are halfway through your turn move your left foot away from your right knee so that you land in a left walking stance to the south. During the turn your left foot will be in the air the whole time while spinning on your right foot which is on the ground the whole time. You will end up in the same stance 180 degrees from where you started.


Stepping Turn:  To execute a stepping turn from a left walking stance facing north, step your right foot behind you to the west so that the outside edge of your right foot (the little toe side) is past your left shoulder. From this position pivot on your feet clockwise until you are in a right walking stance facing south.


Junbi Position:  This is also known as the ready stance. The feet are in a parallel stance. The fists are one fist distance apart from each other and are at the waist on each side of the knot in the belt. The fists are close but not touching the belt.

Hand Techniques:

Fist:  To make a fist start with an open hand with the fingers together. Begin by rolling the fingers tightly and pressing them into the palm starting with the little finger. Then bend the thumb toward the inside and place it on your index and ring fingers. The wrist should always be straight. The strike point is the first two knuckles.


Knife Hand:  To make a knife hand press the 4 fingers together and then press the thumb against the index finger. The wrist should always be straight. The strike point is between the wrist and the knuckle of the little finger.


Punch:  To execute a right arm punch with a left arm elbow strike from a straddle stance start with your left arm extended out in front of you with a fist palm side down and your right arm at your hip with a fist palm side up. Your feet should be pointing forward which we will refer to as north. Begin by moving your right arm forward at the same time and at the same pace that you move your left arm backwards. Keep the fists steady and in their original positions during this part. When you are one fist's distance away from your target with your right punch, then you should be one fist's distance away from your hip with the left hand. At this point, you will start rotating your right and left fists while pivoting on your feet. As you make contact with your right arm punch, the right fist should now be palm side down and your left fist should now be palm side up completing an elbow strike while your feet end up pointed to the northwest.


Low Defense:  This block is also known as a low-section block. The block is made with the outside edge (pinky side) of the right fist or forearm. To execute a right arm low defense block in a right walking stance to the north, begin in a left walking stance to the west with the right fist a couple of inches away from your left ear with the palm facing the ear. The back of the left fist should be touching the back of the right fist. Start pivoting on your feet while at the same time moving your right fist towards your right leg and your left fist towards your left hip rotating both of your wrists. You will end up in a right walking stance to the north with your right fist palm side down several inches above the right knee with the right forearm parallel to and above the right thigh. The left fist will be palm side up beside the left hip.


Inner Forearm Block:  This block is made using the inner edge (thumb side) of the forearm. To execute a right arm inner forearm block in a left L-stance to the north, begin in a parallel stance to the west with the left fist a couple of inches away from your left ear with the palm facing away from the ear. The back of the right fist should be touching the palm of the left fist. Start moving the right foot to the north and away from your body while at the same time moving your right arm to the north and your left fist towards your left hip rotating both of your wrists. You will end up in a left L-stance to the north with your right arm above the right leg. The right elbow should be bent 90 degrees with the right fist at shoulder height with the palm facing the shoulder. The left fist will be palm side up beside the left hip.


Elbow Strikes:  In our system, there are four different elbow strikes. To execute the four different elbow strikes with the right elbow, begin in Junbi position to the north. The first elbow strike starts by moving the right leg and right fist palm side up to the east. The right foot will land in a straddle stance to the north at the same time your right fist palm side up will be in front of your right hip delivering the strike to the mid section of an opponent to the east. The left hand will be in a knife hand position with the palm facing and several inches away from the right fist. The left knife hand will follow the right fist throughout the entirety of the first elbow strike.

The second elbow strike begins at the same position where the first one ended. The second elbow strike is delivered across the face of an opponent to the north by moving the right fist to within a couple of inches of your left shoulder while pivoting on your feet so that the toes end up facing northwest when the strike is delivered. The left fist will move at the same time and pace as your right fist so that it is beside the left hip palm side up when the strike is delivered.

The third elbow strike begins at the same position where the second one ended. The third elbow strike is delivered to the mid section of an opponent to the south by moving the right fist to beside the right hip palm side up while pivoting on your feet so that the toes end up facing northeast when the strike is delivered. The left hand will be in a knife hand position with the palm facing and several inches away from the right fist. The left knife hand will follow the right fist throughout the entirety of the first elbow strike.

The fourth elbow strike begins at the same position where the third one ended. The fourth elbow strike is delivered under the chin of an opponent to the north by moving the right fist to within a couple of inches of your right ear with the palm facing the ear while pivoting on your feet so that the toes end up facing northwest when the strike is delivered. The left fist will move at the same time and pace as your right fist so that it is beside the left hip palm side up when the strike is delivered.


High Rising Block:  This block is used to protect the head from an opponent's downward strike with a hand or object. To execute a right arm high rising block in a right walking stance to the north, begin in a left walking stance to the west with the left upper arm against the side of your body and the left elbow bent 90 degrees with the left fist palm side down. The right wrist will be touching where the bend is in the left arm and the palm of the right fist will be pointed up. Start moving the right arm and rotating the right wrist so that the right fist ends up a couple of inches above the forehead and in line with the left ear to make the block. The palm of the right wrist should be pointing north or away from you. The right elbow should be bent at 45 degrees. While the right arm is moving the left fist should be rotating and moving to the south to end up beside the left hip at the time of the block with the palm side up. The feet should be pivoting while both arms are moving so that they end up in a right walking stance to the north at the time of the block.


Double Knife Hand Block:  To execute a double knife hand block in a right L-stance to the north, begin in a parallel stance to the east with the left knife hand a couple of inches away from the right ear with the palm facing the ear. The right arm will be fully extended to the south and angled up so that the right knife hand is above head height with the palm facing down. Start moving the left foot to the north and away from your body while at the same time rotating your wrists and moving your arms to the north. When the left foot lands in a right L-stance to the north your left knife hand should be above the left thigh and at shoulder height with the left elbow bent at 90 degrees to deliver the block. In addition the right knife hand should be in front of but not touching your solar plexus with the palm side up.


Foot Techniques:

Front Snap Kick:  To execute a front snap kick with the rear leg from a right walking stance to the north do the following four steps in rapid succession. First, lift the left knee as high and close to the chest as possible with the sole of the foot parallel to the floor. Second, extend the left foot by straightening the knee with the toes pointed back thus kicking your opponent with the ball of your foot. At the same time that you are about to make contact with the opponent, pivot the right foot which is on the ground to the east to engage the hips. Third, retract the left foot by bending your knee and pivot the right foot back to the north. Fourth, set your left foot back down into a right walking stance to the north.


Side Piercing Kick:  This is also known as a thrusting kick. To execute a side piercing kick with the rear leg from a right walking stance to the north do the following six steps in rapid succession. First, lift the left leg so that the thigh and sole are parallel to the floor. Second, turn the left hip over while pivoting on the right foot to the southeast so that the left thigh is parallel to the floor. The left knee will be pointed to the south and the left heel will be pointed to the north. Third, extend the left foot by straightening the knee with the toes angled back thus kicking your opponent with the heel. Fourth, retract the left foot by bending your knee so that the knee points south and the heel is pointed north. Fifth, turn the left hip up while pivoting on the right foot to the north so that the thigh and sole are parallel to the floor. Sixth, set your left foot back down into a right walking stance to the north.


Leg Block:  To execute a leg block with the front leg from a right walking stance to the north, lift the right leg bending the knee 90 degrees and move it in front of the left leg while pivoting on the left foot to the northwest. The right thigh should be parallel to the floor with the right knee pointed to the northwest. As your opponent's kick approaches, move your right leg northeast blocking the kick with your lower leg and then set the right leg back down in a right walking stance to the north.



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